Almost 20 years ago I was dispatched to Luxembourg to cover a farmers’ protest.

Farmers from across Europe gathered in their thousands to show their dislike for Commissioner Franz Fischler’s Agenda 2000 CAP proposals.

The IFA flew over a plane load to take part. I walked the route with the farmers and there was plenty of opinion and plenty of noise. It certainly had all the ingredients I needed for a punchy radio report. Because as the protest neared the finish, I recall the atmosphere becoming angry.

Missiles were thrown at a police cordon and then fireworks were pegged. One landed at my foot, exploded tearing the leg off my trousers, my right ear left ringing for days.

The bosses home in RTÉ were satisfied with the report. It sounded like a warzone. Great radio. Fairly scary being there though. I’ve reported on many such protests in Brussels in the two decades since and there’s always been that colourful finish as factions fire bottles and stones at the police or maybe they’d spray an EU building with milk while the police would retaliate with water cannon or tear gas. It has to be said I never witnessed an Irish farmer doing anything other than protesting peacefully, it’s usually young pups from France or Belgium causing the trouble.

Nevertheless, you’d need to have your wits about you. The last time I covered a protest in Brussels, I foolishly got too close to the police barrier outside the Berlaymont building as missiles rained down. They had helmets. I didn’t. An angry police officer in riot gear told me in so uncertain terms where I could go with my microphone.

The most iconic national protests of all time was the NFA march to Dublin in 1966 and the subsequent sit-in at the Department of Agriculture

Colourful farm protests are not confined to the streets of Brussels. It seems obligatory that every IFA president must lead at least one Dublin street protest during their tenure. So think of a President and you might be able to remember the style of protest.

John Dillon’s tractorcade in 2003 is probably the most memorable in recent times. Tom Parlon while not IFA President, ran sheep into the lobby of the Department of Agriculture. There have been sits in, the beef blockade and the run at the doors of Hotel Europe in Killarney during a European farm council meeting.

NFA march

The most iconic national protests of all time was the NFA march to Dublin in 1966 and the subsequent sit-in at the Department of Agriculture. The following year farmers went to jail for blocking bridges in towns and villages across the country. It made martyrs of them. But apart from that era when farmers were treated like peasants by the Government, Web Summit founder and farmers son Paddy Cosgrave is correct to highlight the fact that when farmers protest, blocking streets and disrupting traffic, there isn’t a whisper from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil or official Ireland.

But whenever there is any other type of protest on social issues, be it housing, health or water charges, the protestors are characterised in the media and by general agreement as being just anarchists and troublemakers.

Irish farmers don’t get the same sort of labelling. Is it because people sympathise with their protests in that they are simply about protecting their livelihoods? Other street gatherings are politically and socially motivated which will always attract ire from incumbent governments on the defensive. Leo Varadkar is reported as saying that protests don’t achieve anything.

While there are many historical examples to the contrary, farmers who have been protesting for fair play for 60 years would probably agree with the Taoiseach.

Sounds about right

The drinks industry is quoted as saying the alcohol bill will negatively affect business. I think they’ll find that was the whole point of it.